Schirmer murder trial, Day 4: Jurors see suicide photos

Friday

Jan 11, 2013 at 11:42 AMJan 11, 2013 at 5:04 PM

Jurors in the Arthur Schirmer murder case Friday saw graphic photos from the suicide of Joseph Musante. Musante killed himself in Schirmer's office chair, reportedly after he learned that his wife Cynthia was having an affair with Schirmer, the former pastor at Reeders United Methodist Church.

Musante killed himself in Schirmer's office chair, reportedly after he learned that his wife Cynthia was having an affair with Schirmer, the former pastor at Reeders United Methodist Church.

Schirmer is on trial for the murder of his second wife, Betty Jean, in July 2008. Schirmer is charged with hitting her in the head in his garage and staging a car crash to cover it up.

Defense attorney Brandon Reish cross-examined Sgt. Douglas Shook of the state police collision analysis and reconstruction unit, who said, “I do not believe (Betty Jean) died from injuries from this crash."

Trooper Carl Mease, a vehicle fraud investigator, said the PT Cruiser that Schirmer was driving the night of the crash was checked for mechanical defects. None were found.

“This is the first time the car has ever been driven into the shop from a wreck with a serious bodily injury,” he said.

A serologist testified that the spots found on the floor of the garage were indeed blood, and a forensic scientist testified that all the spots were from the same person.

When court resumed for the afternoon, prosecutor Michael Mancuso called to the stand John Planze, a DNA expert from Fort Worth, Texas. He testified about the DNA samples taken from the blood in the garage and swabs taken from Betty Jean's family.

Planze said a kinship analysis of the samples showed it was 20 trillion times more likely that the blood sample found in the garage was from a relative of Betty Jean's family rather than someone not related.

The defense did not cross examine Planze.

Next on the stand was Bronwyn Yocum, superintendent of the United Methodist Church's local district, who was in her first week on the job when the crash occurred.

She testified that she received a call Oct. 28 from Musante, who complained about the affair between his wife and Schirmer. Yocum said she relayed that complaint to Peggy Johnson, the district bishop.

Johnson then took the stand and said she told Schirmer to take a health leave after she learned of the complaint.

The day concluded with testimony by state trooper Todd Tolan, who showed the courtroom three different animations of a crash reconstruction, each one showing the effects of Schirmer's car crashing into a guide rail, but at different speeds.

The 40 mph and 50 mph versions showed Schirmer's car crashing through the guide rail, while the 20 mph animation showed the car coming to a rest.